This is Ink & Intrigue—the blog where romance ignites, secrets simmer, and every love story hides a twist. I’m your blog host, Sheila Kell, romance author and lover of plot twists, slow burns, and morally questionable book boyfriends.

Let’s be honest. In romantic suspense, someone is probably getting kissed, chased, or shot at. Sometimes all three. Often in that order.

But here’s a fun question I’ve been thinking about lately—and I really want your answer at the end. If you had to choose…which do you want first: the kiss or the gunfight?

Not both at once (tempting, I know). Not “it depends.” One has to come before the other. And your choice says more about your reader’s heart than you might think.

💋 Team Kiss First

If you’re Team Kiss, you likely read for:

• Chemistry that crackles before the chaos

• Emotional connection as the engine of the story

• That delicious slow-burn payoff when two people finally stop pretending they don’t want each other

For you, the kiss is the moment that makes the danger matter. Once the characters have crossed that line—once they’ve chosen each other—every threat hits harder. Every gunshot feels closer. Every betrayal cuts deeper.

In other words, you don’t need bullets to feel the tension. You need hearts on the line.

You probably love:

• Slow burns

• Found family vibes

• Protect-at-all-costs energy

• Moments where love arrives quietly before the storm

🔫 Team Gunfight First

If you’re Team Gunfight, you’re here for the adrenaline.

You want:

• Immediate stakes

• Characters thrown into crisis

• The kind of tension that makes you hold your breath

For you, danger isn’t a backdrop—it’s the catalyst. You want to see how these two people handle pressure before they fall in love. You want to watch them earn each other’s trust in the fire of chaos.

Then, when the kiss finally happens? It feels like victory.

You probably love:

• High-stakes missions

• Competent characters under pressure

• Suspense that keeps you guessing

• Romance that grows naturally out of shared survival

Why This Choice Matters

In my books, I play with both approaches. Sometimes love sneaks in first, soft and undeniable, before everything explodes. Other times, the characters are already running for their lives before they even realize they care about each other.

But the order changes the entire emotional experience.

Kiss first = heart-led tension
Gunfight first = stakes-led tension

Both are powerful. Both are delicious. They just scratch different itches.

Now It’s Your Turn

So here’s the poll: If you had to pick, which do you want first in a romantic suspense story?

💋 The Kiss
or
🔫 The Gunfight

Drop your vote in the comments—and if you want, tell me why you chose it. I genuinely love hearing how readers think about these moments.

And no matter which you pick…I promise I’ll always give you both eventually. 😈🖤

After all…Happily-ever-afters hit harder after chaos.🖤

Thanks for joining me on Ink & Intrigue, where romance and suspense go hand in hand.

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Want more behind-the-scenes content, writing tips, or a peek into my books? Visit sheilakell.com or follow me on social media at @sheilakellbooks.

Until next time—keep writing, keep swooning, and remember: every heart has a secret. 💕